Describe this service?

[jkogel]

I don't often see 300 Amp service. The house is 6000 sqft. The big Sylvania switch on the left is a 300 amp main breaker. They installed 2, rated at 200A, breaker panels here and there's a 125 amp sub panel at the back of the house. I don't see why they put in the big 125A fuse box.

Could they not have just installed a 125A breaker in one of the panels? Does anyone think there is a more elegant way to achieve what they did here? It just looks like an expensive and bulky installation to me.

John Kogel
www.allsafehome.ca

[Marc Benz]

John.,

Somehow what there is some issue it kinda bother me is the conductor size from 300 amp main OCPD to 200's box.

It will be wise idea to call a electrician to verify the system is up to the code { I am aware the Canada have slightly diffrent code to cover than the NEC or FEC ( French Electrical Code ) }

Merci,Marc

[Marc D. Shunk]

Looks like something that's been added on to over time.

[Speedy Petey]

I would describe it as Canadian.

[Marc D. Shunk]

Originally Posted by jkogel

Could they not have just installed a 125A breaker in one of the panels?

Maybe, maybe not. If one of those panels was already "loaded down" already, they might not have had 125 amps to spare on the bus. Thus, they tapped that fused disconnect out of the tap box, which contains conductors fused at 300 amps, you say. I'd have probably done it as pictured too.

[jkogel]

Originally Posted by Marc D. Shunk

Maybe, maybe not. If one of those panels was already "loaded down" already, they might not have had 125 amps to spare on the bus.

That hasn't stopped them before. I mean we often see the panel loaded beyond apparent capacity if you just add the breakers up. The 2 breaker panels are under 100A each by the look of it. Of course I don't measure these things, no time on a 6000 sqft home.

Originally Posted by Marc D. Shunk

Thus, they tapped that fused disconnect out of the tap box, which contains conductors fused at 300 amps, you say. I'd have probably done it as pictured too.

OK, I suggested to the client that this arrangement left plenty of room for expansion.

Le Marc Francais, I see no concern for wire size at this point as the loads are fairly light on these panels.

New Question: Could that meter be put outside? Any reason for not putting it out?

John Kogel
www.allsafehome.ca

[Marc D. Shunk]

Originally Posted by jkogel

New Question: Could that meter be put outside? Any reason for not putting it out?

No reason it must be inside, save for the possibility of PoCo rules against it. That service appears to be CT metered.

[Jim Port]

Originally Posted by jkogel

That hasn't stopped them before. I mean we often see the panel loaded beyond apparent capacity if you just add the breakers up. The 2 breaker panels are under 100A each by the look of it. Of course I don't measure these things, no time on a 6000 sqft home. OK, I suggested to the client that this arrangement left plenty of room for expansion.

John Kogel
www.allsafehome.ca

Adding up the breaker rating is totally irrelevant to how much the panel is actually using. This does not take into account the diversity factor that not all loads will be used at the same time or that even when everything on the circuit is being used will it draw the maximum of the capacity. Air conditioning and the backup heat in a heat pump would be one example. But adding up the handles could make someone think that 90 amps were used up right there. The only way is to perform a demand load calculation.

[jkogel]

Yes thanks Jim. I guess that's what I mean, we are used to seeing panels stuffed full of big breakers.

[John E. Gibson, #2]

Don't know if its just the picture angle or what but I don't see any ground wires in the two breaker panels.

Also the main fused panel, the incoming wires have no ground. The out going wire is grounded to the panel but with no ground coming out of the incoming wires nothing is grounded, including the breaker panel.

[jkogel]

Can do it with conduit.